What a joyous prelude to London 2012! Marathon offers a taste of things to come

Wars may be raging not so far away and austerity is starting to bite, but all seemed well with the world on Sunday in the capital’s hazy sunshine.

It could hardly be otherwise when it comes to the mass annual affirmation of the human spirit that is the London Marathon.

In barely 15 months the Olympics will be upon us and this felt like a tantalising taste of the festival air that will, surely, pervade the streets.

Colourful scene: The London Marathon attracted 35,000 runners

Of course there will be no tide of Supermen and Captain Kirks that could be seen yesterday flowing across Tower Bridge, but there is every reason to expect a similarly heady atmosphere.

And while the Games will feature only the elite, rather than the 35,000-strong cast that makes the capital’s marathon Britain’s most democratic sports event, there are bound to be parallel tales of bravery, brilliance, generosity and eccentricity.

Combining all of those elements bar the latter was the performance yesterday of Japan’s leading woman Yukiko Akaba, one of seven top runners offered a late entry after race cancellations in her native land.

She came sixth, despite the extraordinary catalogue of misfortune that has befallen her over recent months. In February she just happened to be training in Christchurch when the earthquake struck and she was forced to flee into a park.

Akaba had not been back in Japan for long before an even larger natural disaster hit. Her home is less than 100 miles from Fukushima, so she does not want to return at present, and when she does she knows she will find it riddled with cracks and a possible case for demolition. Staying competitive despite the tragedies was the best way to honour her dead friends, she said.

Yet the marathon is about far more than the tiny minority trying to win, as shown by the massed ranks awaiting the starting klaxon fired by Richard Branson. More than 4,000 of these were from the teaching and accountancy professions, with nearly 900 from the police.

Brave: PC David Rathband (left) after completing the London Marathon

Few will be braver than David Rathband, the Newcastle constable blinded during the rampage last year of gunman Raoul Moat. Guided by his friend Steve White, he was adamant he would run to raise funds for the charity he has established to help members of the emergency services injured in the line of duty, the Blue Lamp Foundation.

Another from the school of triumph over adversity was Olympic rowing medallist James Cracknell, running nine months after suffering a near fatal brain injury when struck by a truck.

Having been limited to three weeks’ training because of a broken foot, he still crossed the line in a remarkable 3hr 3min. ‘I’m just pleased to be able to do this,’ said Cracknell. ‘You should try to ignore the ceilings imposed on what you can do.’

This was not a day to sniff at the C-list status of many on the non-sporting ‘celebrity’ roster, whose performances were headed by the hugely impressive time of 3hr 8min clocked by model and I’m a Celebrity… contestant Nell McAndrew.

Robin Harvie ran the course backwards at 4am before joining the main race and recorded a remarkable time of 4hr 35min.

With Paula Radcliffe absent and Mo Farah yet to step up a distance, this event is a case of us inviting the world to show us how it is done best. And as will be the case 15 months from now, the world will be welcome.